


Masquerade

by DontSpeakOfTheAttic



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akumatized Ladybug, Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2018-08-28 14:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8449414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DontSpeakOfTheAttic/pseuds/DontSpeakOfTheAttic
Summary: Marinette's had enough. The stress of living a double life is tearing her apart, and even just a single comment from Chloe is enough for her to finally snap.Meanwhile, Chat Noir has been confronted with a powerful new enemy who's abilities reveal what her victims keep hidden from the outside world. He can't beat her alone the first go round, and his lady is nowhere to be seen. He has no choice but to lie low while he makes a plan, hoping Hawkmoth hasn't won this time.This work is currently in the process of being rewritten. It is unfinished for now but will come back eventually, so I'm leaving this version up.





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so I'm new to Archive and not quite sure how all of this works yet, but I'm figuring it out. So, this story is an idea I've been thinking about for a while, pretty much since I got pulled into the Miraculous fandom. I tried to be original with it, so I guess we'll see how that turns out! Hope you enjoy ^_^

**Intro**

     Marinette was tired. It had been a long night, an Akuma had shown up out of nowhere and taken forever for her and Chat Noir to take care of it. By the time they were done she barely had time to fall back asleep before it was time for school. Not to mention on the way to school all she could hear was praise for the superhero duo. Normally this wasn't a bad thing, but the stress of keeping up the two identities was weighing on her mind. Her parents had threatened to ground her again because they thought her tiredness was from hanging out with Alya, and they didn't want her grades to slip.

     They had no idea it was because their daughter was Ladybug, and Marinette was almost to the point where she was just going to tell them. And of course, she got plenty of insults daily from Chloe, who would then go home to prance around in her Ladybug costume. It was infuriating!

     Marinette sighed as she walked through the classroom door, sitting down in her normal seat beside Alya. She distantly registered that her best friend was talking to her, asking her what was wrong, but she brushed it off as tiredness. She loved Alya, but she just wasn't in the mood to be interrogated. She wasn't in the mood for anything really, not even seeing Adrien. Of course, who best to come along and ruin it than Chloe?

     The blonde strutted into the classroom, followed as always by her "best friend" Sabrina. Upon seeing Marinette she walked up to her desk, a smirk on her face.

     "What's the matter Marinette? Up all night wishing you were as great as me?" Marinette groaned, setting her head on her arms.

     "Go away, Chloe." Chloe gasped, staring at her.

     "How dare you! You can't ignore me!" She paused, watching Marinette as another evil smirk formed. "I bet you're just jealous that I'm such good friends with Ladybug. I saw her last night, you know. She's so amazing... Unlike you." And with that, Marinette snapped.

     "You know what, Chloe," she said, pushing her chair out and standing up. "I've had enough. You always think you can push me around and insult me whenever you want and get away with it, but you can't. You don't know me at all! So stop acting like you do. Stop pretending you're all that because your dad is the mayor, and stop looking down on me like I'm not worth the ground I stand on. Stop expecting me to bend to your every whim and break at every insult. _Stop comparing me to Ladybug!_ " With that she pushed past the stunned Chloe and ran out of the classroom, leaving her peers frozen behind her and expressions of shock on the faces of Alya, Nino, and Adrien, who had just stepped into the room.

* * *

     Marinette ran down the hall and burst through the school doors, where the light of the sun blinded her for a brief moment. The few passerby on the street paused at her appearance, but after a moment simply continued on their way. What was it to them that some girl was running out of school?

     The dark haired girl gave a shuddering sigh, leaning against the door and trying to fight against the stinging sensation in her eyes. She wasn't going to cry. Not here. She shook her head, bracing herself before continuing down the stairs. She couldn't go home- her parents were working and they would know something was wrong. She couldn't stay here, though, for all she knew her friends could be chasing after her. The last thing she needed was Alya interrogating her about her outburst, or Nino trying miserably to cheer her up. She didn't even want to see Adrien after that, even though out of the three of them he'd probably have the best approach to comfort her. Over the last few years she and Adrien had grown closer, and she was no longer as awkward around him. Of course, a smile from him could still make her knees weak, but she wasn't a blubbering mess anymore.

 _I probably messed that up too_ , she thought, recalling the look on Adrien's face as she had brushed past him during her escape. She sighed again, looking around at her surroundings. Her wandering had brought her to the park, which was empty at this time of day. She made her way over to a bench hidden in the shade of a large tree, sitting down with her head hung low. After a moment she gave into the tears, finally letting them fall. Everything that was going on, it was too much. She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't handle the stress of living a double life any longer. It was at that thought, though, that Tikki flew out of her purse.

     "Marinette, you don't have to let her comments get to you. Chloe's like that to everyone."

     "I know, Tikki," the girl said softly, trying to calm her tears. "But it's too much! I can't do it anymore, I can't be Ladybug and Marinette." She shook her head, clasping her hands together and squeezing tightly. "I told you this when you first picked me."

     "But Marinette, you've done great! Look at all the good you've done for everyone. It doesn't matter if anyone knows who you are under the mask."

     "Yes, it does! What about my parents? They're making it harder for me to even be Ladybug in the first place. Then there's Alya, who is dead set on finding out Ladybug's identity."

     "I know your parents aren't making things easier, but-"

     "No, I can't hear this right now. Please Tikki, just… let me be."

     "But if Hawkmoth-!"

     "I'll be fine, Tikki!" Marinette shouted. She regretted it instantly, the little kwami getting a sad look on her face before returning to Marinette's purse. The teen girl sighed again, dropping her head into her hands. "Great, now I've upset her too," she whispered.

     Marinette stayed like this, head down and eyes closed as she tried to stop the flow of tears. It was because of this that she never saw the oddly colored butterfly, flying closer and closer to her. Had she seen it, she might have been able to avoid it, to prevent the mess that was about to happen. However, she didn't see it. So she didn't notice as it reached her, and flew into her earrings.

     "Lady Masquerade," a voice said, and Marinette raised her head, a purplish outline of a butterfly hovering in front of her face. "I can help you get revenge on those who have ignored who you truly are, and expose their secrets. In return, you only need to help me get the Miraculous of Chat Noir." An uncharacteristically evil smile spread across her face, and deep inside her purse terror filled the mind of her kwami.

     "Yes, Hawkmoth."


	2. Two Sides of the Same Coin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So, this is going to be a semi long explanation. If you don't want to read it, fine, but it is kind of important. So, the reason I haven't updated in forever is because of this terrible hell hole called Graduation Project (Or Senior Project, same thing). Basically, it's a high school class required to graduate. Having to take this while doing college classes (long story short, I'm in early college. Freshman in college, junior in high school. It's complicated) was really difficult, and I nearly failed the class. Luckily I managed to crawl out of it alive and passing, but it was difficult. Another issue is that we recently lost internet at my house. I have my phone, so I can use data when necessary, but I will also be losing that around the end of the month and I don't know when we'll have internet again. Luckily, school starts back early January, so at most you should only have to wait a few weeks for an update. Still, I felt it best to warn you all. But my work load shouldn't be too bad anymore, so with any luck updates can pick back up. I have an important question for anyone bothering to read this, at the bottom!

**Two Sides of the Same Coin**

Adrien had started the day thinking his desk would make a pretty good pillow. The fight last night had completely drained him, and he was hoping for a nice easy day at school. Sure, he had another photo shoot to deal with after school, but he could cross that bridge when he got there. However, when he walked into class he found out that the day was going to be a lot harder.

"-Stop comparing me to Ladybug!" He walked through the door just in time to hear Marinette's frustrated shout, and watch her storm out of the classroom. She brushed past him on the way, not even sparing him a glance. The mess left behind was a stunned Chloe and Sabrina, who looked almost like they'd just stepped in something gross and couldn't get it off their shoes. Alya looked concerned, though Adrien could tell she was also curious as to what had caused Marinette's fuse to blow. Nino looked like a bomb had just gone off in his face.

Adrien himself stood in the doorway for a little while longer before he managed to make it to his seat, long enough that the teacher walked in. Seeing the expressions on her students' faces she paused, frowning.

"Is something wrong class?" They all looked to her, not sure how to explain what had just happened. "And where is Marinette?" She asked, noticing the empty seat. Even Chloe was silent for once, simply shaking her head and making her way to her own seat. Sabrina did the same, and the teacher was left without an answer. Of course she noticed it was strange, but if they weren't going to tell her there wasn't much she could do other than get on with the lesson. Adrien couldn't pay very much attention though, his mind being elsewhere. What had caused Marinette to get so upset? It was obvious that Chloe was the culprit, but that was about it. And her words… Comparing her to Ladybug? Did that happen a lot? He couldn't make heads or tails of it. He wasn't given long to ponder it though, so instead he just tried to focus on the lesson.

Unfortunately, even that didn't last long. About halfway through class the alarm blared through the building, one that could only mean one thing: An Akuma. As the teacher tried to get everyone safely out of the classroom, Adrien managed to slip away so he could transform. Plagg flew out of his bag, sighing.

"Already? But it's so early…" Adrien shook his head.

"We have to go Plagg. Claws out!" Plagg was absorbed into the ring, the leather catsuit appearing on Adrien's body. Without another word Chat Noir ran out of the school, looking for the Akuma and hoping Ladybug would be there soon.

The new villain that greeted him was definitely not what he expect. Upon first glance the girl was very familiar, with dark blue hair that fell loosely just past her shoulders and piercing blue eyes (one covered by her bangs). She wore a large trench coat, one half a dark gray and the other black with white spots. The inside was red, and the cuffs and collar were dark red with pink spots. Her outfit looked like it had been split down the middle, two very different outfits showing. One side was a bodysuit, white with black spots that matched her mask. The other side was a black turtleneck with a purple flower and pink vines, her pants a dark purplish pink color. (AN - it's just the cover picture, that's what she looks like.)

She was throwing something on a string, and when it wrapped around people a dark purple aura flared up around them. It was like the people had become entirely different people. Chloe was digging her ladybug costume out of her bag, about to run around with Sabrina as Chat Noir in broad daylight.

"Alright, so I can't let her touch me with that string," Chat muttered. "Ladybug, I hope you get here soon." He didn't see the similarities yet, he didn't realize that his lady wasn't his friend this battle; but his enemy. He was more concerned with trying to get civilians out of harm's way and figuring out where the akuma was. Other then her weapon, the girl didn't seem to be holding anything of importance, so maybe that was it? As he considered it though, he shook his head. That didn't feel right. He didn't get to think on the further though, as the weapon was thrown towards him.

He dodged, but as he passed he realized that it wasn't any ordinary weapon, but a yo-yo. A white yo-yo with black spots. His eyes widened and he froze, watching as she pulled the yo-yo back and turned to him. She walked closer, smirking.

"Chat Noir, surprise surprise. Where's Ladybug?" She asked. But it wasn't really a question, her tone of voice didn't fit. No, she knew what she was asking. And she was asking it for a reason. Because she knew something that Chat didn't. The girl chuckled, his shocked expression amusing her. "I am Lady Masquerade," she began. "And as fun as it would be to play with you, Kitty, you aren't the hero I'm looking for." She smirked again, turning and stalking down the street towards the dressed up Chloe and Sabrina, who were running around pretending to capture an akuma. It was as if they didn't even realize where they were or what they were doing.

Lady Masquerade walked over to them, wrapping her yo-yo around Chloe and pulling her to her. The purple aura didn't flare up- Chloe had already been affected. Chat snapped himself out of his stupor, starting towards them while pulling his pole off of his back. Immediately Masquerade whirled around, glaring daggers at him.

"You will not interfere! This girl has patronized me for the last time, and I will have my revenge." An evil grin spread across her face as Chloe cowered. "And then I'll come for you, kitty cat." Before Chat good do anything else she vanished in a puff of purple smoke, taking Chloe with her. Chat was left staring at the spot she disappeared, alone. Ladybug hadn't come. She hadn't showed up to help him save the day. Ladybug was gone.

It had been three days since Lady Masquerade had first appeared. Three days since Ladybug had failed to save the day with her leather-clad partner. Three days since Chat Noir had fallen to his knees in front of the last place Masquerade was seen, stunned into total silence and only moving when the beep from his ring warned him of how little time he had.

It had been three days since Marinette had disappeared.

In the chaotic aftermath of the attack, it had gone unnoticed. People were more concerned with trying to figure out what had happened, and why the hidden sides of themselves had been projected outward to the city. It was temporary, that much was known. As soon as Masquerade was gone the effects of her yo-yo wore off, and people returned to normal. The purple auras faded, and they quickly retreated to their homes. It was around then that Marinette was discovered to be missing.

At first it was assumed she had been taken with Chloe. A case of wrong place, wrong time. When Chloe was rescued, they'd see Marinette again as well. But then Chloe came back, and Marinette didn't. Chloe wouldn't talk much either, when she came back. It was halfway through the second day when she did, and Masquerade hadn't been with her. Chloe had just appeared in a poof of purple smoke, silently curled into a ball. She didn't appear physically injured, but who knew what had happened to her psychologically. She hadn't spoken a word since she'd been found, only shaking her head or nodding occasionally when asked a question. When asked if Marinette had been with her, she hesitated for a long moment before shaking her head no.

The working theory was that Marinette was Masquerade. Most people thought it made sense; Marinette had been fighting with Chloe before Masquerade had appeared and for sure Chloe had caused too many akumas in Paris. Several students even commented on the similarity of her appearance. Well, half of it, at least. The Ladybug-esque design of the other half of her costume was explained away by the nature of her argument with Chloe. They had been fighting about Marinette being compared to Ladybug, so of course she'd be a mix as a villain.

Adrien had other ideas.

As Chat, he had seen Masquerade up close. He had seen her fight, heard her speak. He'd heard her talk to him in a way only one person had done, and that was Ladybug. And that yo-yo, while a different color, was a dead ringer. But it couldn't be Ladybug, could it? He was torn. His classmates were right, it made sense for Marinette to have become Masquerade. But Ladybug was also noticeably absent, and Masquerade resembled both girls quite a bit. Adrien couldn't understand it, and if he was being honest with himself, he didn't want to. If it turned out that was his beloved lady, what was he going to do? She was the one who purified the akumas, he couldn't. Worse, if she was Marinette instead, what had kept Ladybug from entering the battle? Had she been captured by Hawkmoth? No, he was sure he would have known if something like that had happened. But the chance that something bad was the cause of her disappearance was high, and he didn't like it.

He didn't want to think about it though. Either Marinette or Ladybug was Masquerade, and the other was missing. Unless… No. Adrien shook his head. It couldn't be. He knew there was a chance he and Ladybug knew each other, but she had always been so adamant that he never find out. He hadn't really thought about it since the Lady WiFi incident. Of course he had been tempted… but it wasn't right. She didn't want to be found out.

So he shook himself from his thoughts, trying to pay attention. Classes had resumed, so he was currently sitting in the classroom beside Nino, fighting the instinct to turn around and check the empty seat beside Alya. Marinette's seat.

Adrien wasn't the only one not paying attention. Alya was staring sadly down at her notebook, spaced out and mind obviously more focused on her missing best friend than the current lecture. The seat near Sabrina was also empty, Chloe was still at home recovering. She hadn't yet been declared fit to come back to school, and probably wouldn't be for a while. Sabrina was finally starting to act like her own person, speaking up in class and actually leaving people alone. It would probably go back to normal by the time Chloe was back though.

The whole mood throughout the classroom was somber. Two classmates were gone, Ladybug was nowhere to be found, and the villain hadn't been defeated. Masquerade could strike again at any time, and everyone knew it. They were scared, who would be next? What exactly did she want? She had only taken one person last time, and then disappeared.

No one knew what was going to happen next. For now it was all they could do to just carry on with normal life and wait.

They didn't have to wait long, however, because an alarm suddenly screamed through the school. Everyone was out of their seats in an instant, for once following protocol and lining up at the door to be evacuated. Adrien was caught up in the crowd, unable to get through and find a place to transform. Nino and Alya were looking straight at him as he tried to move, and grabbed his arms.

"We already lost Marinette, we're not losing you too. We're going to find a safe place to wait for Ladybug and Chat Noir," said Alya. Internally, Adrien groaned. How was he supposed to try to bring Marinette back to them and even find Ladybug (if she wasn't Masquerade or Marinette- which Adrien was still in complete denial about) if he couldn't get out of their sight? He had to get back out there and stop Masquerade. If Ladybug was still missing, he was the only one who could do anything. For now though, all he could do was follow as the class was rushed out of the building, being loaded on buses as fast as possible to get home. Masquerade wasn't near the school yet, but several kids were watching the live news feed on their phones.

Looking over Nino's shoulder, Adrien watched as Masquerade appeared in a burst of purple smoke, turning to a nearby building with a poster of Ladybug and Chat Noir. She flung her yo-yo towards it, and as a purple glow appeared around it it smashed into the wall, destroying it. She pulled the yo-yo back and continued on her way, leaving the scene in a way Adrien knew all too well. He had seen it a million times after patrol ended and he lingered, debating once more to follow her and find out the truth before reluctantly turning to go home himself. A shred of hope still lingered, that it was a trick, it was just the suit, and he waited for his partner to appear. But she didn't, and Masquerade continued her rampage.

His gaze was torn from the video as Alya let go of him, looking around. They were still near the back, not quite ready to be loaded onto the buses yet, and currently unnoticed by the frantic teachers.

"She's not that far away, actually… I could probably get a couple of shots for the Ladyblog of Ladybug and Chat entering the fight!" Nino gave her a look, and she was quick to cut off any argument. "Come on Nino! It's the perfect opportunity!"

"Didn't you just say we were going to find somewhere safe to wait for them?" Asked Adrien, while secretly relying on her stubborn attitude to take all three of them out there. While he didn't want Nino and Alya getting hurt, he could slip away much easier if they were focused on something else. Alya shrugged, already trying to sneak away without the teachers noticing.

"We can safely wait a few streets over," she said. "Now come on!" Both Nino and Adrien shared a look before following after, Adrien with a hand firmly securing his bag. They managed to get away without the teachers noticing, and as soon as they were free Alya was completely focused on her mission. Nino's focus had shifted from keeping Adrien in place to making sure Alya didn't get herself killed, leaving Adrien free to run off. He slipped into an alleyway, opening up his bag to let the little black kwami out.

"Took you longer enough," Plagg commented. Adrien shook his head.

"Sorry Plagg, got held up. We don't have time for that though, claws out!" Plagg was sucked into the ring, and Adrien was transformed into Chat Noir. As his transformation ended he jumped up, climbing out of the alley and racing across the rooftops to where Masquerade had last been spotted. He passed more crumbled walls and destroyed buildings as he did, what was left from Masquerade's rampage. His view of the destruction was interrupted, however, by a black and white blur zooming by his face. He jerked back, just in time for Masquerade to come by, following her yo-yo. There eyes met as she passed, the wind from her quick movement blowing Chat's hair backwards. Her eyes were a familiar blue, though they were sharper than what he was used to seeing. And the sunlight sparked on the one accessory not quite in sync with her black and white spotted ensemble. Red and black earrings.

At this point, Chat knew. He could deny it with every fiber of his being, but in the back of his mind he knew. He knew where both missing girls were, and why his spotted partner wasn't coming to his aid. Still, he had no choice but to ready himself as she pulled her weapon back, turning to face him.

"Chat Noir," she said, standing with one hand on her hip. "We meet again. What seems to be the trouble this time?" Chat narrowed his eyes, fists clenching. How could this be her? Either of them?

"You, Masquerade. You can just run around destroying buildings, and this time I'm going to stop you." She held a hand to her chest, walking closer.

"Aw, Kitty, are you upset you didn't catch me last time? Don't worry, I'll be gone soon. I just have to get the last of all this foolish admiration." She stopped about three feet away, watching Chat closely. Instead of pouncing, he shook his head. He had to know.

"Why are you doing this? What's the point in tearing down these posters? All of these people will still cheer for Ladybug, they always have. This won't change anything." A smile crosses her face, and Chat found himself wishing he hadn't spoken.

"But the disappearance of their heroine will. You will fail, just like before, and I'll walk away. The people will look at their ruined city and blame you, because you could never do what Ladybug does. You're just a sidekick, a distraction for the bad guys while she does the real work." He shook his head, but she wasn't done. "And why should they admire someone they don't know, anyway? They don't know her, they don't know the _truth._ If everyone knew the truth about everyone, the world would be a very different place." She scoffed, playing with her yo-yo idly. "But instead we live in a world where people lie, and cheat, and fake their identities all the time. You wouldn't know the real Ladybug if she hit you in the face, yet you worship her on a pedestal of gold whenever she appears to save the day. Her sacrifice is lost to the vanity of the super hero image. You think you know her because she's your partner, but do you really? What's her favorite color, her dreams, her aspirations... her fears? Just like the rest of these fools you've fallen under the spell of that black and red suit, and you will _never_ understand the truth." Words failed him. Chat stared at the girl, this villainous version of his lady, his friend, his partner. The girl and the fighter, one and the same.

She's right. No one knew who Ladybug was. Sure the Ladyblog dedicates itself to finding the truth, and there was that weird mix up with Chloe that one time, but she obviously wasn't the real Ladybug. The real Ladybug could be anyone, and he would never know. He's never had the chance to talk to her about all of that. Her favorite color? Red or black are the only colors he's seen her in, of course, except for her midnight hair and beautiful blue eyes. Dreams and aspirations? Fears? Chat sighed, she was absolutely right. He barely knew her. Except...

"You're right," he starts, looking at the ground for a moment. "But it was her choice." The words threw Lady Masquerade for a loop, and she stopped before taking off. "I had the chance to find out who she was, I've had plenty of chances. I've suggested that we may even know each other. But she was the one who didn't want to reveal anything. She didn't want me to know. So how can you blame me, or any of these people, when _she_ made the decision not to tell? At the very least, her partner could have benefited. And I have tried. But I respect her. So if you want to blame anyone, it's her." He had to fight not to say 'you', and the possibility still lingers, but his words still hit their mark. Masquerade stared at him, eyes wide. Chat Noir shook his head, fighting stance at the ready once more. "Let's finish this, My Lady," were his words as he launched himself towards her.

Masquerade shook herself out of her trance in time to see Chat jump, and moved back just barely enough. He grazed her, nothing more. Her yo-yo was out in an instant, trying to latch itself onto Chat and stop him with no luck. Ducking under her attack Chat launched a kick, trying to knock the yo-yo from her grasp. He didn't want to hurt her, but had to get rid of that weapon before he could get anywhere near close enough to grab her earrings. He was almost certain that's where the akuma was, he just had to get them.

Their battle continued, eventually leading them into an alley apart from the citizens so they wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. Both had landed pretty good hits, and knew the battle had to come to a close soon. One little slip up on Masquerade's end determined the winner, as Chat saw his opening.

Masquerade had thrown her yo-yo, missing Chat in order to wrap around a pipe trailing up the side of the building. Her plan had been to pull the pipe down, hitting Chat in the process, and making her escape. However, the pipe was much more sturdy than she had anticipated, and her moment's hesitation left her wide open to Chat's attack. He kicked her in the side, throwing her to the ground and forcing her to let go of the yo-yo. When she fell Chat was quick to pounce, pulling the earrings off before she could think of a counterattack. He held them in his hand, ready to crush them to release the butterfly, when a gasp rose from the fallen girl.

"Don't!" He turned, shocked, at the voice. It wasn't Masquerade's voice, laced with something evil when she taunted him, but Marinette's fear-filled cry. The mask had disappeared, and her clothes were back to normal, leaving a bruised and teary-eyed Marinette where Lady Masquerade once stood. A glance behind him would have revealed that the black and white yo-yo was gone as well. In his surprise he dropped the earrings, a crack sounding as they hit the ground. The black butterfly that slipped through the crack in the earrings went unnoticed by both, as they stared at each other.

After a moment Chat tried to speak, stuttering as he forced the words out, but he didn't get the chance. His butchered attempt at a sentence jolted Marinette from her shock, and as tears started to fall she snatched the earrings and bolted from the alley.

"Marinette, wait!" Chat yelled as he ran after her, knowing he had to catch her before something worse happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, there we go. I hope you all (however many of you actually read that) enjoyed it! So the question is concerning chapter updates. Do you want short chapters & short updates, or long chapters & long updates? Basically, you can have short chapters with weekly updates, or long chapters with monthly updates. Let me know what you prefer!  
> Also I don't know if we're supposed to reply to comments, I came over here from fanfiction and since that's what I do on there, I'll start out doing that here. (If you don't like that let me know, I'll just thank you via pm.)  
> Determined_Day_Dreamer - Thank you so much! Yes, I am definitely continuing it, I'm really excited too. I'm glad you liked it so much, and I hope you'll stick around for more!


	3. Cracked

  
**Cracked**  


He knows.

_He knows._

As she ran, that was all Marinette could focus on. Whether he had figured out who she was during her time as a villain or just then, he knew. The spotted earrings were a dead giveaway for Ladybug, and it had been she who appeared instead of the heroine. That wasn't the worst part, though, she knew. She had heard the crack when the earrings fell from his hand, hitting the ground hard. Tikki hadn't appeared as she was running, and she was terrified. What had being akumatized done to her Kwami? And could the cracked miraculous even function? She suspected not, and it scared her. How was she going to fix this without her miraculous? She couldn't do Lucky Charm or Miraculous Ladybug without Tikki's help.

Oh god.. poor Tikki. What had gone through her head? Marinette could remember what had happened while she'd been Masquerade, though it was like watching something through a fog. Everything was hazy and blurred, but she knew she had caused a lot of damage. She briefly remembered Chloe and shuddered at the thought of what she did to the poor girl. That memory wasn't very strong, but she knew Chloe wouldn't be the same.

Marinette just wanted to curl up and cry. She felt weak and terrified, and she knew it wasn't a very Ladybug thing to think, but she didn't care. Unfortunately, she couldn't stop running. Chat was following her, she knew it, and she just- she couldn't. She didn't want to face him, didn't want to see the disappointment on his face or hear it in his voice. She just had to get home to her parents and try to figure out how to fix her miraculous. Her luck seemed to have run out, however, because Chat caught up with her before she made it home. With a graceful leap he landed in front of her, holding tightly to his baton. She skidded to a stop so she wouldn't run into him, and for a moment the two were silent, staring at each other.

"Marinette, I-"

"Don't." Chat's attempt at breaking the silence was interrupted by Marinette's voice. "Just don't. I don't need to hear your disappointment or your anger, or anything else! I just want to go home and forget about this!" The leather clad hero was stunned, but was still able to stop her when she tried to push past. She flinched away from his hand on her arm, staring him down. "What?"

"I... I'm not disappointed at all Marinette." He shook his head, eyes still wide. "I'm not disappointed, or angry, or upset.. not with you, at least. I'm surprised, sure, but..." His hand came up and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm happy it was you, Mari." His voice was gentle, catching Marinette off guard.

"You are?" He nodded, a smile on his face.

"Yeah. Of all the people it could've been... I'm glad it was you." A blush appeared on Marinette's face, though she told herself it didn't mean anything. She was just happy that her partner wasn't disappointed. She looked down with a smile on her face, the first since she had been freed from the Akuma. Then a thought occurred to her, and she looked up nervously.

"Chat... if you know who I am... do you think that you could m-maybe tell me who you are?"

"Oh! Um, I-" Before Chat could finish what he was saying, there was a shout from across the street. A cry of 'Marinette!' drew gasps from passerby, and both heroes turned to see people gathering and pointing. Two familiar faces appeared in the crowd, running over with amazed smiles on their faces.

"Marinette, you're alright! Where were you girl?" Alya immediately enveloped her in a hug, but pulled back when she noticed the girl wince. "What happened?" Marinette frowned slightly, not sure how to explain. Should she say she was the one akumatized? What would they think about Ladybug then? Luckily, Chat took the job of explaining for her.

"I saved her. We shouldn't have any more trouble with Lady Masquerade anymore." Nino nodded.

"Thanks, Chat Noir. Have you seen our friend Adrien? He was with us when the attack started, but we got separated and we haven't been able to find him." A gasp came from Marinette, drawing Chat's attention.

"Adrien's missing?" Alya nodded, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he'll be okay. Is that what Ladybug's out doing now? Looking for anyone who may have gotten lost or hurt during the attack? We've been wondering where she's been..." Chat winced, trying to think of something to say. He couldn't say she was, because they would notice if the Miraculous Ladybug didn't fix the damage like usual.

"Ah, she's been... sick!" Marinette gave him a weird look, but it was all he could think of. Alya was skeptical.

"Sick? How did she get sick?"

"Oh, nothing too serious, just a bug going around," **(AN - I didn't see the pun in this until after I wrote it, because this was written at like 1:30 in the morning. I proceeded to laugh like a lunatic at this probably not that funny pun, and left it here. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as sleep deprived me did.)** he said nervously. "She just wasn't well enough to fight. I couldn't have my lady putting herself in danger." He was trying to act normal, but it was really hard with Marinette staring at him, knowing that his lady was right there and could hear every word. He suddenly felt a lot more self-conscious about his flirting. "She'll be better soon. And as for Adrien, I saw him just a few minutes ago, I'm sure he's fine. Probably heading home, which exactly what you two should be doing." Alya opened her mouth to protest, but Chat shook his head. "It's still not safe out here, some of the buildings may be unstable and I'm sure your families are worried. I'll escort Marinette home safely." Marinette realized what he was doing and though she was still worried about Adrien (she _knew_ he hadn't seen him a few minutes ago, he had been fighting with her the whole time) she nodded, quickly backing him up.

"Chat Noir is right guys. If Chat saw him, Adrien is fine. And I really do want to get home, my parents..." She looked down. Her parents must have been devastated at her disappearance. Alya and Nino softened and their friend's change in tone, realizing it had probably been very stressful for her. They didn't want to overload her with questions and information, even if they were just concerned. Alya hugged her again, gentler this time.

"Of course Marinette. Your parents will be overjoyed to see you." She smiled slightly. "Call me when you get home, when you're ready." Nino put a hand on her shoulder.

"And I'll be with her, to save you the trouble of having to call both of us. It's good to have you back Marinette." Both of them looked over to Chat. "Thanks again Chat Noir." Then they left, casting warm smiles at Marinette before they did. Chat started walking again once they were out of site, Marinette following with a suspicious look on her face.

"Chat, what were you talking about back there? You couldn't have seen Adrien, you were fighting-" She stopped herself with a frown. She didn't want to think about her time as Masquerade, that she could have seriously hurt her partner. "You were busy," she decided on. That sounded alright. "There's no way you could have seen Adrien. Why would you lie to them? We have to find him, he could be hurt! I could've hurt him..." The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and she stopped. Chat turned when he noticed she wasn't behind him, giving her a concerned frown.

"Mari?"

"I... I could've _hurt_ him... Chat we have to go back! We have to find him!" This was like Volpina all over again, only it wasn't an illusion. And this time she was the villain. What if Adrien was like cold and alone somewhere, hit by debris she had caused to fall? Her wide, desperate eyes searched Chat's for some kind of reassurance, but she was surprised when she actually found it. "Chat? Why are you looking at me like? Stop playing around, we have to find him!"

The cat in question was staring at her, an amused smile making its way to his face. He shook his head, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her along, to her protest.

"Don't worry Princess, he's okay."

"What? How do you know that?"

"I'll explain later. Right now you need to get home."

"Chat, please, I-" Chat cut her off, gesturing to the building they stood in front of.

"I believe this is your stop, My Lady?" She stopped, blinking as she saw the bakery in front of them. Then she turned, frowning at her partner.

"This is serious! Stop fooling around and give me a straight answer Chat." He sighed, walking her up to the door.

"You need to let your family know you're alright. You can tell them that you were Masquerade, most people think that already anyway. Hopefully they won't ask about Ladybug. I'll stop by later tonight and we can talk, okay?" She sighed at his words, about to respond, but her parents had noticed figures standing outside the bakery and opened the door. When they saw Marinette, any chance of her responding to Chat was dashed.

"Marinette!" Her parents exclaimed, rushing forward to hug her. "Oh Marinette, we were so worried," her mother continued, holding her close.

"It's okay mom, I'm here now." Marinette smiled as she was hugged by her parents, glad to finally be home. She had missed them, and it was obvious they had missed her as well. They were so happy that she was finally safe. After a minute or two, they pulled away and Marinette looked at Chat. "Thank you for bringing me home Chat Noir." Her father nodded.

"Yes, thank you Chat Noir. We were so worried about her." The cat hero smiled.

"I'm happy to bring her back to you. Stay safe you three." Then with a flick of his baton, he was gone.

* * *

That night, Marinette lay in bed waiting for Chat to knock on her window. She'd had a long day, spent catching up with her parents, making sure she was alright and trying to find out what she had missed in the last three days. She had also been stuffed full of food, since her parents were convinced sweets would help her recover faster. Which, they were right. She had a plate of pastries down on her desk somewhere, but she had lost interest in them a while ago. Her earrings were down there too, abandoned as she couldn't stand to look at the cracks marring the smooth surface of the miraculous.

A tap on her window drew her attention, and she got off of her bed in order to open the window. Chat stood there, climbing in when she when she gestured it was alright. They stood there for a moment, silent. Marinette moved back, taking a seat and gesturing for Chat to do the same. He shook his head though, frowning slightly.

"No, I think... I think I should stay standing for this." Marinette tilted her head.

"Chat, what are you-"

"You asked who I was earlier, and I didn't get the chance to answer you. I know who you are, and I think it'll be easier for us to figure out what to do next if you know." He gave a nervous smile. "Just... don't be disappointed?" The girl frowned.

"I doubt I would be, but alright." Chat nodded, taking a deep breath. In a flash of green light he dropped the transformation, and Marinette dropped her jaw.

"Hey Marinette..." Adrien said with a small wave.

The room was dead silent. Shock was painted on Marinette's face, and it took her a minute to process this new information. Once she did, she promptly began to freak out. Adrien? All this time it had been Adrien? Of course, that explained why he said he had seen Adrien just a few minutes before saving her. It also gave reason for his certainty that Volpina had been creating an illusion, and why he had been so familiar with the Agreste mansion when they had been protecting his father, but... If those were all Adrien... Her face burned as she remembered all the times Chat had kissed her hand, flirted with a simple 'bugaboo' or 'my lady'. All the compromising positions they'd ended up in as a result of a misfire with her yo-yo or a slip up during an attack. And... oh god, the incident with Kim.

She had... She had _kissed_ him! And she didn't even realize it was Adrien! It had just been Chat, her loyal partner who needed her help. Sure, her feeling for Chat may be different if it weren't for Adrien but that was just... That was irrelevant now! They were the same person!

"..Mari?" Chat's- No, _Adrien's_ concerned voice broke her out of her panicked train of thoughts, and she stared at him as she tried to form words.

"I- you- we..." She shook her head. "I-it's been you the whole time?!" He nodded, walking over to sit beside her.

"Yeah," was his quiet answer, as he rubbed the back of his neck with a hand. "It's been me."

"Oh my god," she muttered, slightly horrified as she went over all of her encounters with him as Chat. She was lucky she had taken down all the photos of Adrien and changed her computer screen, or the boy in question definitely would have noticed while he was waiting for her to calm down. As it was he looked pretty nervous himself, watching her freak out and hoping it was just because she was surprised, not upset. She had promised not to be disappointed... Before this thought could get much farther, Marinette snapped out of her thoughts.

"Cha- Adrien, I..." She shook her head, a faint smile on her face. "I just never thought it was you. After all this time, you were after Ladybug and I was after-" She faltered, pink dusting her cheeks. "We've been a little ridiculous," she finished. Adrien chuckled, eyes glinting with a spark of humor. He had noticed her slip up, but he wasn't going to comment on it. Unfortunately for the two teenagers, there were more pressing matters at hand. They'd have to worry about identifying their relationship later.

"Yeah, I suppose we have..." He trailed off, casting a glance to her dresser. "But that's not we need to talk about." His face grew serious, and Marinette's expression mirrored his. "First off, are you okay? I hope I didn't hurt you..." Guilt colored his features as he realized things could have gone very wrong earlier today, he needed to be more careful. Marinette, however, shook her head.

"I'm fine. A little sore, but nothing out of the ordinary. But Tikki..." She looked down. "That's my kwami. I.. I haven't seen her since you pulled my earrings off." Before Adrien could respond, a little black creature popped up from behind his shoulder.

"You mean you don't know if she's okay?!" Marinette focused on the creature, a small cat-like figure that she immediately guessed to be Adrien's kwami. Adrien frowned, trying to soothe the creature.

"I'm sure she's okay Plagg." He glanced over to Marinette. "This is my kwami, Plagg." She nodded, feeling guilty as she looked at the little cat.

"I'm so sorry Plagg," she said. "I don't know what happened, and I haven't seen her at all. I've tried to fix the crack in the earrin-"

"They got _cracked_?!" Plagg's voice, normally laid back or even whiny as he begged Adrien for cheese, was suddenly an octave higher and definitely panicked. "You _cracked_ the miraculous?! Oh no, Tikki!" Without another word he zoomed over to the desk, cradling an earring in his paws with despair written plainly on his face. Marinette winced.

"Yeah, I figured that had something to do with it..."

"What are we supposed to do?" Adrien asked. "We can't fix it without the Miraculous Ladybug, and you can't do that without your earrings. You said you tried to fix it on your own?"

"Yeah, but it didn't work. I don't think something like this is an easy fix." Adrien hung his head, sighing.

"I'm sorry Mari, this is my fault. If I hadn't dropped them then maybe..." She shook her head, causing him to trail off.

"Then I'd still be Masquerade. The Akuma was there Adrien, the only way to get it out was by breaking the earrings. It was my fault for getting akumatized in the first place." They were quiet for a moment, thinking about what had caused this, before Adrien realized what she had said and gasped.

"Marinette, the Akuma!" Her head shot up, and a horrified expression marred her face.

"Oh no, you didn't grab it?"

"No, I- I couldn't think!" He dropped his head into his hands, starting to panic. "Oh man, you know what happened last time we didn't purify an Akuma... There's going to be statues of evil you everywhere Marinette. And Hawkmoth will just be waiting for the perfect opportunity." The girl shuddered, knowing her partner was right. And it was this last statement that broke Plagg from his mourning. His eyes drifted in their direction, and he gently set the earring down before floating over to them.

"This is serious," he said. "With the Akuma still out there and Hawkmoth watching you, he may know you're Ladybug. The chances are pretty high that he does. And if he gets you under his control again, there's no doubt that he'll use you to get Adrien's miraculous and then have you hand over your own. We have to get this fixed as soon as possible."

"But Plagg," said Marinette hesitantly. "How can we purify the Akuma if I'm still the victim? We can't get to it unless he sends it after me again." The look on Plagg's face darkened, and he crossed his arms.

"Then this is it, one way or another. Either Hawkmoth goes down, or we do. We have no other choice." The two teenagers shared a look, fear over what they would have to do already creeping in. "Now come on, let's get you two to the Guardian. He'll know what to do."

* * *

Despite how late it was, Master Fu opened the door on the second knock. A green turtle-like creature hovered beside him, and both wore matching masks of concern.

"Come in, quickly," the old man ushered them inside, locking the door behind them. He led them into the main room, where they sat in a sort of circle with Master Fu watching them carefully. "Children, it seems dire times are upon us. Wayzz felt something terrible had happened, but never had I imagined... Are you alright, dear?" He asked Marinette, eyes softening as his gaze fell on her. He knew, of course he did. He guarded the Miraculous, he knew when one was being used for evil. The girl nodded, pulling something small out of her pocket.

"I am, but.. I'm afraid I don't know how Tikki is." She uncurled her fist, revealing the cracked earrings, and a large gasp came from the turtle kwami. Fu's brow creased, frown clear on his face. While he knew the girl had been akumatized, and that it was likely Hawkmoth had discovered her true identity, but he hadn't entertained the thought that the miraculous could be harmed in the process. Never before had the Ladybug Miraculous been cracked, and he wasn't sure how he would need to go about fixing it. Marinette's head was down, and she bit her lip.

"I'm so sorry sir," she whispered, and Adrien set his hand on her shoulder. Plagg had left Adrien's side to hover near Wayzz and Master Fu, his little cat ears drooping as he studied the faces of the Guardian and his kwami. He'd been hoping for an easy fix, Master Fu would say some magic words and Tikki would appear, tired but alright. Instead he saw something else in their expressions. They were at a loss for what to do, and Plagg didn't like that.

"I'm sorry too," said Adrien. "I was the one who dropped them." Fu shook his head at the two heroes' apologies, however.

"It is not your fault, children. There was no other way to release the Akuma. Though I didn't expect it to choose to harbor itself in your earrings." Marinette made a face, but nodded.

"What can we do to fix them?" She paused, fearful expression appearing. "We _can_ fix them right?!" There was a troubled expression on Fu's face as he took the earrings, studying them carefully.

"I will admit, this has never happened before. But will try my best. For now, though, it seems Paris will have to wait a little longer for the return of Ladybug." Marinette looked down again, nodding. Adrien tore his gaze from her for a moment to look at Fu.

"What about the Akuma? We couldn't purify it, it's going to turn people into Lady Masquerade statues. And with Ladybug out of commission..." He let the sentence hang in the air, and this time it was Wayzz who got an idea.

"Master, the box! Perhaps...?" The little turtle didn't have to finish his sentence, Master Fu was already up and moving to a desk in the back. Opening a drawer he pulled out a small box, much like the box Adrien's ring had been in, but instead of wood this box seemed to be made of stained glass. There were also different symbols on it, though Adrien wasn't quite sure what they meant. Fu came back with the fragile looking box and sat down, putting the box down between the three of them.

"Perhaps it is time to try this. I obtained this quite some time ago, and was told it had the power to contain any evil. The fragile appearance of the glass is merely a ruse, for it cannot be broken, neither from the outside or the forces within, as long as it is not changed in any way. If you could get a hold of the Akuma and keep it in here, then once Ladybug was back we could purify it."

"How could we get the Akuma though? Neither of us know where Hawkmoth keeps it when it hasn't been purified." Here the old turtle hero was stumped, but he was saved from the issue when Marinette raised her head again.

"I can do it," she said softly. "If I let my emotions take hold again, even if Hawkmoth knows I'm doing it on purpose, he wouldn't dare waste the opportunity. Once I was akumatized again," Adrien looked about to speak, but Marinette held up a hand. "It's my fault in the first place, Adrien. If I get akumatized again you can take me on as Chat. Just like before. And since I won't have my earrings, and they're damaged anyway, there's no danger of Hawkmoth forcing me to hand over my Miraculous." The cat hero looked between Marinette and Fu, speechless as he processed Marinette's words. It was her choice, yes, but it wasn't safe! He could hardly believe it when Fu finally gave a slow nod.

"It's risky, yes, but it may be our only option. We do not know where Hawkmoth is located, and we know he would akumatize Marinette again. My dear, suggesting this took a lot of courage, and pulling it off requires even more so. I know you have had your doubts about being chosen, but I believe it is worth telling you that now more than ever only proves just how much you deserve those earrings, and still do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've decided to try and do updates on Fridays. (It's technically 3:20 in the morning on Saturday, but close enough). I don't know if it will be every week or every other week, but it should not be longer than two weeks because I have plot for this story figured out even further! I think I had some announcements to make but the only one I can remember right now is that I am taking suggestions for one-shots, for my soon to be posted I'm Not Gonna Write You A Love Song, which is a Danny Phantom fanfic collection of one-shots for DannyxEmber. So if you guys are also fans of Danny Phantom, tell me a suggestion for a one shot in either a review or a PM! I will also take suggestions for SolAngelo (Will SolacexNico Di Angelo) one-shots, because I want to write for it but I have no ideas. So let me know if you like those fandoms and have some ideas! Now, let me just say that this story (Masquerade) is posted on both Fanfiction and here at Archive. My profile over at Fanfiction (also under Don't Speak Of The Attic) is much more filled out if you want up to date info, but I will be fixing this one soon and try to keep the two up to date.  
> Now, I shall reply to your comments!  
> DrafteeDragon - I'm glad you're sticking around! I like the concept too, so I figured I'd give it a whirl.  
> Joey - Thank you! I hope this chapter wasn't too long of a wait.  
> GregSpoon - Thanks! I thought it would be an interesting argument to put in place, so I'm glad you liked it!


	4. When We Make It Through This

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo! So I know I took forever, but I am back with a brand new chapter for your enjoyment. As for my absence, long story short, physics is kicking my ass XD  
> Also, I'm going to start using the actual reply feature on the comments so you won't have to try searching my author's notes for replies.  
> Anyway, things are heating up in this chapter, so we get a lot more action next time! I hope you guys will like this, and I will see you soon (hopefully)!

**When We Make It Through This**   

 

    Adrien and Marinette left Master Fu's with a lot on their minds. After escorting Marinette home, Adrien snuck into his own bedroom and lay wide awake on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Plagg was curled up on an unused pillow, too upset to even bother for cheese after the trip home. If he knew how, Adrien would comfort him, but he was at a loss. His own thoughts were consumed with worry for Marinette, about what was going to happen soon. He would have to fight her again, this time knowing it was his love, his lady. And since she was akumatized, there was no telling what she would do and what he would have to do to protect himself. The thought that he could hurt her terrified him, and he knew she was probably worrying about hurting him in her akumatized form.

What bothered him most was that they really didn't have a choice. Fu was much too old (though he would deny it) to transform and take on Hawkmoth, and had Adrien volunteered for the mission it would be no use because Marinette wouldn't be able to transform to defeat him. The only other way would be if they knew where his lair was, or where he kept unpurified Akumas, but since they didn't have that information there was only one way to go.

And Adrien hated it.

Not that they weren't prepared. They had a solid plan, and room for error if something went wrong. Marinette now had a fake pair of earrings on, since Fu wanted to hold on to the actual Miraculous, and these would be able to be broken with no trouble once Chat defeated Masquerade again. He would also have the box with him, so that when he broke the earrings he could contain the Akuma and take it to Fu. Then, theoretically, they would be able to figure out how to fix the earrings. Until then, they could hold the Akuma indefinitely. The problem with that though is that those infected by the multiplied Akumas would still be transformed, and they had no way to fix that without purifying the Akuma. They just had to hope for the best, but everything past catching the Akuma was pure speculation, and it didn't sit well with any of them.

Adrien rolled over, letting out a sigh and staring at the stained glass box on his desk. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

 

Marinette wasn't faring much better. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Tikki, and what she had just volunteered to do. The fake earrings on her dresser haunted her, a cheap imitation of the real earrings she had left with Fu.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared. She was willingly giving up control of herself to a villain, even if it was for the sake of Tikki. She was terrified she was going to hurt her friends or worse, Adrien. She knew he was a skilled fighter, and the two of them were unstoppable together, but fighting each other it seemed all too likely that one of them would hurt the other. And with Tikki out of commission, there was no Miraculous Ladybug to heal any serious wounds. She would have to be incredibly careful, but she wouldn't be in the same mindset once she was Masquerade again. She would be Hawkmoth's puppet, focused only on taking Chat's Miraculous and bringing it to the villain. Hopefully, though, the battle wouldn't get that far.

She also hoped the clones of her wouldn't be much of a problem. She knew that once she was akumatized again the civilians that had been affected would be awakened as well, an army for her to command. They hadn't dealt with a situation like this since Stoneheart, and there was quite a difference between her evil form and Ivan's. A bunch of people with Ladybug's skills... it was a scary thought. She had to have faith in Chat's abilities though, she had to trust him. And she did, even more so now that they knew each other. Adrien wouldn't let her down.

Still, it wouldn't be easy. Marinette sighed, snuggling further under the blanket and shutting her eyes. It was futile though, she knew she wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, while the beloved heroes (and all of Paris) were sleeping, a single Akuma sat upon a tall post. Its wings fluttered slowly, and after a moment more began to appear around it. A swirling tornado of Akumas was forming, spreading out in all directions. The few people wandering the streets quickly fell victim to the evil butterflies, turning into statues of Lady Masquerade. When they ran out of late-night wanderers they began to invade homes, slipping into the cracks in doors and windows to infect unsuspecting civilians asleep in their beds.

Hidden within his lair, the original Akuma returning to his cane, Hawkmoth smirked.

“I have you now, Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

* * *

 

The next morning, both superheroes awoke to a panicked news reporter explaining the current situation. The Akumas had spread overnight, and now the town was full of frozen clones of Masquerade. School had been closed indefinitely until they knew for sure the danger had passed. Marinette stared guiltily at the TV set, wishing the whole mess was over already. Her parents hovered near her, assuming her sour mood was due to her previous transformation. They weren't completely wrong, they just didn't have the full story. The girl sighed, pushing her breakfast away half finished.

“I'm going to my room,” she said as she stood up. Immediately her mom stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Actually, Marinette sweetie, wouldn't it be safer if you stayed down here?” Tom nodded, giving a meaningful look to his daughter.

“Your mother's right, it would be safer for you down here. If you're alone then you could get upset again.” Marinette looked away, knowing she couldn't tell them that's exactly what she planned on doing.

“I'll be okay, really! I just need some time to think. Besides, if I do change again, at least Ladybug and Chat Noir will be able to finish the job.” She gave a halfhearted smile, hugging her parents before running up to her room. She knew they were worried, and she hated having to put them through that, but she couldn't tell them the truth. They wouldn't approve, for sure.

Marinette sighed again, watching her trapdoor for a moment to make sure her parents hadn't followed. Once she was convinced they were leaving her alone she turned to her desk, hesitantly picking up the decoy earrings. They felt  _ wrong, _ the weight was off in her ears, and the metal was cool from sitting unused on the dresser. All she wanted to do was fling them off and get her Miraculous back, but she knew she had to keep them on. Soon enough she would be transformed again, and these earrings would hopefully do as they were intended and house the Akuma once more.

She shook her head, briefly wondering just when in her career as a superhero she had gone completely insane, before stepping out to her balcony. Chat was going to meet her here, and then take her to a more deserted area in hopes she wouldn't cause as much damage when akumatized. And until the time came for the change, they would talk.

Marinette would be lying if she said she wasn't worried about the talk. They had a lot to cover, they had to get the important things out of the way. After tonight nothing would be the same, and they had agreed before splitting ways the night before that the air between them needed to be cleared, whatever that entailed. So she knew that eventually they'd get to the topic of their relationship. In fact, that would probably be the main focus of their conversation. That being said, it was understandable that her heart leapt into her throat when she saw Chat's familiar form bounding across the rooftops towards her home. He landed on the balcony across from her, a grim smile on his face. He was happy to see her, but the knowledge of what was to come made the visit bittersweet.

“Need a lift, My Lady?” His hand was outstretched, and Marinette took it without much hesitation.

“Thank you, Chaton.” The nickname flowed easily, it was something she already called him as Ladybug, but now it caused both of them to pause. Between partners, teammates, it was just a simple nickname, but now they really knew each other. They looked away, trying to ignore the blush on their cheeks as they realized  _ who  _ they were talking to. After a moment they managed to compose themselves, and Chat pulled Marinette close to him and held her securely.

“Ready to go Princess?” She nodded, looking out at the skyline.

“As ready as I'll ever be.” His mouth set in a line, Chat took off across the rooftops.

 

 

They landed a bit away from the main part of the city, near an abandoned warehouse sort of place. Putting his baton away, Chat held Marinette's hand for a bit longer as they walked closer to the warehouse. They stood there in silence for a moment, before Marinette tugged her hand away to wrap her arms around herself.

“This is it,” she said, studying the ground. Chat nodded, watching her carefully.

“Yeah, it is.” It was quiet around them, the tension in the air almost visible.

“Chat...” Marinette said after a moment. “If something goes wrong-” He set a hand on her arm, stopping her.

“Nothing's going to go wrong.”

“You don't know that Chat. I could hurt you, or Hawkmoth could do something else, or the clones could be too powerful...”

“I won't let that happen Marinette.” He stepped closer, putting both hands on her shoulders so she would look at him. “I will never let him hurt you again. We'll get through this together. I'll capture the Akuma, we'll fix your earrings, and we can fix this whole mess. And I will never let this happen to you again.” Her eyes were wide as she took in his words, not quite understanding at first. Chat's eyes flitted to the side for a moment before he continued. “I know we never got to talk about.. us. How we felt about all of this. And I don't know how you feel, but... you know I love Ladybug. I always have, and I always will. But it's not just Ladybug, it's the girl under the mask as well.” He smiled, and after a second of thought de-transformed. Adrien brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I swore to myself I would find out who was under that mask, and I would love her the way she deserved. The fact that it's you, Marinette, just makes it that much better.”

The girl's eyes shone with tears and she stared at Adrien, lips parted in surprise. “A-Adrien, I...” She paused, wiping a tear from her face. “Thank you so much. I was always afraid that if you found out that I was just... just me, you would be disappointed. That you wouldn't care about me anymore. And between you- civilian you, and Chat Noir, my head was just going in circles trying to figure out what I felt, and-” She stopped herself, blushing when she realized what direction her words had taken. “I realize how silly I was not to trust you, Adrien. And I'm sorry for that.” She stepped forward, burying her face in his chest and hugging him tightly. Adrien smiled, resting his chin on the top of her head and hugging her back.

“You don't have to apologize, Mari, I understand. Still, that does beg the question... Where does that leave us?” He said the last part quietly, as if he wasn't sure if he wanted her to hear it or not. She did, though, and the question hung in the silence over them for a moment before either thought to respond. Something compelled Marinette to look up, as Adrien looked down. They stared at each other, faces inches away, hearts pounding in their chests. Heat flooded Marinette's face when Adrien moved one hand from around her waist to the back of her neck. They moved, inching closer and closer until-

Marinette put her hands on Adrien's chest, pushing him back slightly and interrupting the would-be kiss.

“W-wait, we...” Her voice caught in her throat, the blush on her face a fierce red. “Not yet,” she finally said. “We can't just- we can't do this to ourselves. If we do this, and something happens,” she stopped herself, looking at the ground and pulling her hands away from Adrien to wrap them around herself. “It's not fair to either of us,” she whispered. Her eyes widened when Adrien put his hand under her chin tilting her head up and smiling kindly.

“Of course My Lady.” He reached for her hand, which she gave him after a moment's hesitation. Bringing it to his lips, he spoke again. “Not until we make it through this.”

* * *

 

They stayed like that for a moment, Adrien soon pulling her close for another hug, before the spell was finally broken. Time was still passing, and they had a job to do. It was still too soon for both heroes when they saw the sun traveling through the sky, and realized they needed to get it over with. Sighing, Adrien pulled away with a lingering hand on Marinette's own.

“We can do this,” he said. Marinette frowned, but gave an uncertain nod anyway. Transforming, Chat leaned down and kissed her hand again, sending a wink her way. “See you after the battle, Princess.” Then he pulled out his baton and was off, knowing if he stayed any longer he would never leave.

Marinette was left alone in the empty yard, staring at the spot Chat had been moments before. Then she walked over to the side of the old building, leaning against it and sliding down to the ground. Her head dropped into her arms, and she closed her eyes. Now that she was alone she had to allow the Akuma to take her, and what better way than to let all of her fears come crashing down? It was no secret she was afraid, and of a lot of things at that. She was afraid the plan wouldn't work, that Hawkmoth would see right through it and do something else that ultimately screwed them over. She was worried that while akumatized she would hurt Chat, or her friends or family. She was afraid she and Chat would be broken after this, that their partnership would shatter before it had the chance to reach its full potential. And she was terrified Tikki was gone forever.

Mixed into this, of course, was guilt. It was her fault Tikki was gone, her fault they were in this mess in the first place. If she hadn't paid Chloe any attention, if she hadn't shut Tikki out... There were so many things she could've done differently that would've prevented this from happening. But instead she did the stupid thing, the reckless thing, and got herself akumatized. If Plagg never saw Tikki again, if Paris never saw Ladybug again, it would all be because of  _ her _ .

As these thoughts swirled inside her head, the little black butterfly from before appeared again, fluttering near her head and searching for an opening. In record time it found the decoy earrings, and when Marinette raised her head there was a purple mask outlined over her face.

_ “Ladybug, we meet again. How kind of you to join my ranks.” _ Here Hawkmoth paused as if expecting a response though there would be none.  _ “You feel as if all this chaos is your fault, that they will blame Ladybug. Why not really give them a reason to fear, Lady Masquerade?” _ Just as before, Marinette was under his spell. She was no longer Ladybug or Marinette, but an evil mix of the two as the purple bubbled around her body.

“Yes, Hawkmoth.”

* * *

 

Alone in his lair, Hawkmoth had watched as Marinette broke down, carefully holding his cane as he considered.

“The heroes aren't so foolish as to just give her to me, are they?” He shook his head, frown deepening. “No, they have some sort of plan. It simply doesn't add up for them to be this careless. By taking advantage of such raw emotion I could be playing right into their hands... But such an opportunity doesn't come often.” He was torn. As it was, he had Ladybug right where he wanted her. Weakened, subject to her own emotions, and finally revealed in her true form. If he could avoid their plans and instead use his own, taking control of Ladybug would give him an easy win. He could have both the ring and the earrings in record time. However, he didn't know their plan. And without that, he was taking a real shot in the dark.

Despite the risks, the cane opened to reveal the original Akuma. “Go, my little Akuma,” said Hawkmoth. “Let's see where this goes.”

* * *

 

Lady Masquerade stood, eyes narrowed, and unhooked her yo-yo. Spinning it absentmindedly she looked around, before tossing the weapon and zipping along. While she traveled the frozen clones became active, breaking out of their homes and pulling out their own yo-yos in order to follow the original Masquerade. The news was on in every home not yet broken by the clones, including the bakery. Marinette's parents had rushed up the stairs as soon as the news came back on, and sobs came from the house when they saw their daughter's room empty. Logically they knew it was the only way to save everyone and reverse the damage done, but they couldn't bear the thought of their daughter out there again, mind completely under the control of a super villain who didn't care for her safety. More than anything, all they wanted was for their daughter to come home safely.

Alya and Nino were in a similar situation, sitting huddled together on Alya's couch watching the news report. Both had tried to reach Adrien several times to get him over there, but the lack of response was starting to worry them almost as much as Masquerade's reappearance. For once Alya didn't want to be out there filming. It was dangerous, and she knew that if she got hurt her best friend would never forgive herself. She couldn't risk it.

* * *

 

Along the rooftops a black-clad hero leapt, chasing after the distant figure he knew to be Masquerade. Before setting out he had taken care to separate them in his mind; Marinette was his sweet and kind friend, Ladybug was his trusted partner, and Masquerade was the villain both had become. She wasn't really either of them. She wouldn't stop if he got hurt, she wouldn't just hand over her earrings. She wouldn't play nice, so Chat couldn't either.

_ Hold on tight Princess, _ he thought as he neared the villain and her army of clones.  _ We'll make it through this. _


	5. Important Announcement

Hey guys! So I know it's been a really long time since I updated this, and there's a reason for that. At first it was just really bad writer's block, which I tried to push through. But then I got a summer job, which reduced my time. I'm not working at the moment, but I am in college and right now it's finals week. A lot of things have happened, both in my personal life and my school/professional life. Now given that intro, I'm sure most of you know where this is going. I would like to say, however, that there is good news as well as bad new. So let's go ahead and get the bad news out of the way.

You've probably noticed that this story's chapter number is complete at the moment. That's because as of now, I need to take a break from it. I really lost sight of where I was going with it and while I have a general idea of things I want to happen I have no timeline to follow and if I kept going at this rate it would probably end in a few chapters. I was hoping for it to be longer, and have more story-wise than just what it has now. Honestly, I have fics I haven't even posted yet that are more fleshed out than this one. So for right now, this story is going on hiatus. I hate to say it, because I never really wanted to do that, but I really need to.

That said, this story will return! Here's the good news, and there's a lot of it. First off, I'm taking this hiatus so that I can focus on rewriting and improving this story. It will come back longer and much better paced, and mostly complete. See, I had no chapter buffer when I first started this. I just decided that I could write a chapter in a week. I have learned from that mistake, and I will not be doing that again. Also, I have gotten a Tumblr! Now, at the time I'm posting this there is literally nothing on there except who I follow, but I am going to change that and start posting updates on how my chapters are going. I know there's no PM system here, so if you guys want to ask me something, suggest a one shot, or just come say hi, feel free too! And speaking of one shots, I will most likely still be posting them occasionally, just as little bursts of inspiration to push past writer's block or entertain you guys. So if you have any suggestions for things you'd like to see then please, let me know!

Finally, I mentioned before that I had stories not posted yet that were more fleshed out than this one, and that wasn't an exaggeration. I have an entire folder full of planned fics (some aren't even miraculous, though at this point most are), and I will definitely try to put some summaries or excerpts up on my tumblr so that you guys can see them. And if you guys are more interested in those than the updated version of this, I can definitely post one of them in the mean time.

So, my tumblr is [dontspeakoftheattic](https://dontspeakoftheattic.tumblr.com/). Expect some posts to start appearing up there within the next few days. Sorry about the hiatus, but I promise it'll be worth it in the end. Thank you guys so much for understanding ^_^


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